I come from Zimbabwe, where I鈥檝e always been passionate about agriculture and how we can protect crops from pests sustainably. I completed a BSc in crop production and horticulture with a focus on plant protection at Midlands State University in Zimbabw . Then I went to in the Netherlands for my MSc in plant sciences at specializing in plant pathology and entomology, with a research focus on how plants defend themselves against invertebrate attack. In 2022, I came to New Zealand to pursue a PhD in Ecology, where I now study the ecology of ground w膿t膩 (Hemiandrus bilobatus), a native insect that has recently emerged as a pest in Marlborough vineyards.
My research focuses on understanding how an endemic species Hemiandrus bilobatus has shifted from being a forest-dwelling insect to becoming economically important pest in agricultural landscapes. This ecological shift appears to be linked to land-use change and habitat modification. Currently, growers use plastic vine guards to physically block w膿t膩 from climbing vines and damaging grape buds, but this method is both labour-intensive and costly, particularly because the guards need to be replaced every five years. A more sustainable solution requires deeper ecological insight into the species.
To build this understanding, my research began by reviewing the life cycles of two other endemic insect pests, Wiseana cervinata and Costelytra giveni which cause damage to pasture systems. Like H. bilobatus, these species are nocturnal, live in burrows, and have overlapping generations. Their similarities offer potential clues for how to manage w膿t膩 populations by adapting successful strategies already in place for these pasture pests. To further explore the natural ecology of ground w膿t膩, I studied the growth, relative abundance, and diet of three native species Hemiandrus electra, H. 'disparalis', and Anderus nox living in sympatry in a New Zealand native forest. Diet analysis based on gut content showed that all three species were omnivorous, but their dietary preferences vary: A. nox consumed mostly invertebrates, while H. 'disparalis' and H. electra preferred plant material. I further used morphometric data (leg measurements) to assess size variation and infer growth stages, revealing evidence of overlapping generations, particularly in H. electra.
In vineyard context, I analysed the diet of H. bilobatus in both vine and non-vine habitats. Using DNA metabarcoding and microscopy, I found that their diet includes a wide range of plants and invertebrates. Importantly, habitat strongly influenced what w膿t膩 consumed. This opens up new possibilities for pest management, such as trap cropping, planting alternative preferred food sources to draw w膿t膩 away from vulnerable grape buds, particularly during budburst.
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Qualifications
BSc Crop production and horticulture. Midlands State University, Zimbabwe
MSc Plant pathology and entomology. Wageningen University, Netherlands
Publications
Chikwature N, Morgan-Richards M, Vereijssen J, Trewick SA. 2025. Comparison of growth, relative abundance, and diet of three sympatric Hemiandrus ground w膿t膩 (Orthoptera, Anostostomatidae) in a New Zealand Forest. Journal of Orthoptera Research
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